Why does a child stumble out of the blue? Are head impacts dangerous in young children? Baby's leg(s) or arm(s) feel too stiff

Children are inquisitive and restless, and therefore no one can completely avoid injuries, falls and bruises. In the process of learning about the world, babies fall quite often. But if falling on the butt or back does not cause panic attacks in parents, then the situation changes dramatically if the child hits his head. An authoritative pediatrician, author of numerous books and articles on children's health, Evgeniy Komarovsky, explains why such falls are dangerous and when you need to start worrying.

Features of child physiology

The head of a small child is designed in such a way that it is relatively large compared to the rest of the body, so babies most often fall on their head when they lose their balance. But there is also a positive thing: the child’s brain is quite reliably protected from injury when falling. If a small child fell from the sofa upside down, then the greatest injury (of a psychological nature) was received by his parents, and not by himself. The bones of a baby's skull are very soft, and the "fontanelle" and dynamic "sutures" between the bones of the skull provide them with mobility. The larger the fontanel, says Evgeniy Komarovsky, the less likely it is to get injured if you fall upside down. In addition, nature has come up with another shock-absorbing mechanism - a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid.

If a child at 6-7 months, when he becomes more mobile, turns over unsuccessfully and falls from the sofa or changing table, do not immediately panic. The baby, of course, will scream heart-rendingly. But parents must understand that he is crying not from terrible pain, but more from fear caused by a sudden movement in space. If after half an hour the baby smiles, walks and leads his usual lifestyle, nothing in his behavior has changed, then there is no reason for concern or examination by doctors, says Komarovsky.

Most often, children under one year old begin to bang their heads when they master their first steps. This usually happens after 8-9 months. That is why it is important that the baby first learns to crawl, and only then stand and walk.

Of course, a child who hits his head requires more attentive attention from his parents. It is advisable to provide the baby with peace, not to let him run around a lot, play active games, or scream loudly. The very first day will show if the baby has an injury . To do this, parents must know the symptoms of head injuries like two times two.

Traumatic brain injuries

It does not matter the age and gender of the child, the height from which he fell head down, the size of the bruise or bump on the forehead, as well as the presence or absence of abrasions and blood. All mothers and fathers should know that in all situations involving a head injury, the child needs qualified medical care.

The presence of injury can be suspected if the child experiences clouding of consciousness, loss of consciousness of any duration and frequency. Observation is very important, since parents who know the behavioral characteristics of their child will be able to notice changes in his behavior in time. Any inadequate changes may indicate a possible head injury.

If a child stops falling asleep normally, or, conversely, sleeps for an unusually long time, or develops a headache, and it does not go away even an hour and a half after the fall, you should seek qualified medical help.

A characteristic symptom of head injury is vomiting, especially if it is repeated. The child may have a shaky and uncertain gait, dizziness, convulsions, impaired coordination of movements, weakness in the arms and legs, and the inability to move one or two paired limbs at once. In all these cases, you should definitely call an ambulance.

Discharge from the nose and ears, whether bloody, sanguineous, or transparent and colorless, is a clear reason to suspect injury.

Symptoms of injuries may also include various dysfunctions of the sense organs.(hearing loss, blurred vision, complete or perhaps partial lack of response to tactile contact). The child may begin to complain that he is cold or hot. Evgeniy Komarovsky advises paying attention to each of these symptoms.

Concussion

This is a fairly simple traumatic brain injury, in which the child may lose consciousness, but such a loss will be short-term (no more than 5 minutes), nausea and dizziness are possible. The brain is not damaged, but a concussion temporarily disrupts some brain cell functions. Dr. Komarovsky claims that this is the easiest consequence of falling on his head, because after a couple of days, brain functions return to normal and the child’s condition returns to normal.

Brain contusion

This is an injury in which the membranes of the brain are directly damaged, as well as its deeper structures, with the formation of a hematoma and the occurrence of edema. How long the state of loss of consciousness lasts affects the degree of injury; it can be mild, moderate or severe. In the first degree, the symptoms are similar to a concussion, only the child’s unconscious state can last more than 5 minutes. The average severity of the injury is characterized by the duration of fainting from 10-15 minutes to an hour or a little more. In severe cases, consciousness may be absent for several hours or several weeks.

Brain compression

This is an extremely dangerous condition when, as a result of a head injury, compression occurs inside the skull. With this pathology, vomiting occurs, which is protracted and repeated. Periods of loss of consciousness are followed by so-called “light” periods, when the child behaves normally, without showing any signs of brain damage. Such periods can last up to 48 hours.

First aid

If a child falls, hits his head and there is a cut in the skin or hair, the child does not lose consciousness. and after a day there are no signs of injury, there is no need to take him to the doctor, says Evgeny Komarovsky. It is enough to treat the wound with an antiseptic and apply ice to the external injury site. If the wound is extensive (more than 7 mm), you should go to the emergency room, the child will receive several stitches, and at this point the treatment can be considered complete.

If the wound is open (with an open craniocerebral injury), under no circumstances should you put pressure on it to stop bleeding. Mom should cover the edges of the wound with ice until the doctor arrives.

If a child falls, hits the back of his head or forehead on the floor, and the parents immediately or several hours later discover signs of injury in the child, the child should be put down and called the hospital. Determining the type of injury, its nature and severity is the task of doctors.

If the head injury is severe, the child is unconscious, he is not breathing, the child needs to be given resuscitation measures until the ambulance arrives. The child should be placed on his back, his head should be fixed, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed, after the baby comes to his senses, he should not be allowed to move, drink or talk until the doctors arrive.

Consequences

With traumatic brain injuries, vital centers and parts of the brain are affected. If the child is not provided with timely medical care, the changes that are caused by bruises or compression may be irreversible. Severe injury can be fatal.

If a child hits his head while away from his parents, for example, in a health summer camp or boarding school, the parents, for objective reasons, cannot observe the child’s behavior and condition for 24 hours after the hit. In this situation, you should be understanding that doctors and kindergarten teachers are “playing it safe” and immediately send your child to the hospital. According to Komarovsky, in 99% of cases such hospitalization is required not so that the child can be treated, but so that there is someone to watch him.

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In childhood, any baby often falls and hits hard surfaces. Due to the structure of the body, a significant proportion of injuries occur in the head. In most cases, this is not accompanied by adverse consequences. Still, parents are advised to know what to look for if their child hits their head and when to seek medical help. It is important to understand that if a baby stumbles in the bathroom and hits the tiles or falls down a slide, this is much more dangerous than falling on the carpet or colliding with a cabinet door. Particular attention should be paid to cases of damage to the back of the head or temporal region, situations when a heavy object fell on the child’s head.

What could be the consequences if a child hits his head?

Regardless of whether the baby fell out of bed on his back or hit his forehead on the edge of the table, he must be shown to a doctor.

Symptoms of head injuries can be obvious or subtle, and sometimes they are absent altogether. Even unusual activity of a baby may indicate a serious problem that requires professional intervention. Complications of head injuries can occur several days, weeks and even years after the injury.

How dangerous are head impacts in young children?

A head injury in a child under one year of age is usually not dangerous. In this period The baby’s brain is protected as much as possible by nature. Due to the relative softness of the skull bones, the dynamic sutures between them and the shock-absorbing properties of the cerebrospinal fluid, serious damage is practically excluded. When a newborn is injured, he may not even notice it. Children over six months old after a blow begin to scream and cry a lot, but most often this is not a reaction to pain, but to an unexpected movement in space. If a few minutes after knocking, the child calms down and continues to behave as usual, this is a very good sign.

Although there is no reason to panic in most situations, it is better not to risk it and visit a doctor. He will assess the patient's condition and check his reflexes. Both a month-old baby and an older baby need rest in any case after an injury. You should not put him to bed, but at least for 1-2 hours you need to give up excessive activity, eliminate exposure to bright light and loud sounds on the child’s body. Despite the degree of protection of the brain in the first year of life, everything possible must be done to ensure that the baby has to hit his head as little as possible.

Symptoms of head injury

Newborns are constantly under the supervision of their parents, the level of their activity is very
limited. This allows you to monitor the baby and notice all cases of injury. When an older child falls and hits his head, it may escape the attention of adults. Sometimes children get so carried away that they simply forget to talk about the injury. A bump on the head from a blow is not the only evidence of an accident. There are several points that should alert you and become a prerequisite for a visit to the doctor.

If a child hits their head, this can manifest itself in different ways:

• a hematoma appears - it looks like a bruise or bump, can cause discomfort to a small patient or be practically invisible;
• there are traces of dissection - in some cases it is a small scratch, in others it is a deep and bleeding cut;
• There are no external consequences, but there are changes in the baby’s behavior and condition – poor coordination of movements, mood swings, nausea and vomiting, different reactions of the pupils, drowsiness and much more.

The baby may fall on the carpet and not react to the situation in any way, and the consequences will be serious. It is better not to risk his health and at the first opportunity to visit a doctor who will eliminate any possibility of complications.

Consequences of a bruise

A blow to the floor or other hard surface can result in open and closed wounds. In the first case, there is a violation of the integrity of the skin, and bone damage may occur. Closed injuries are diagnosed when there is no blood on the surface of the affected area. Contrary to popular belief, the latter scenario is not always less dangerous.

The consequences of a bruise are as follows:

• damage to the skin and subcutaneous tissue - this can be a bruise, bump, cut. A bruise of the soft tissues of the head without bleeding usually has no consequences. The presence of an open wound requires immediate treatment to prevent infection;
• concussion is extremely rare in infants due to natural protective mechanisms. The condition has a characteristic clinical picture and requires medical attention;
• Brain contusion is a serious injury that may be accompanied by a short-term loss of consciousness. A child does not necessarily have a headache after a blow. The development of the condition is indicated by the patient’s sallow complexion, darkening of the skin around the eyes, the appearance of blood from the ears or nose, changes in facial expressions, and deterioration in speech;
• Compression of the brain is another dangerous condition that develops against the background of compression inside the skull. Accompanied by profuse and repeated vomiting. Periods of “enlightenment,” when the baby behaves as usual, are followed by moments of loss of consciousness.

The presence of one of the consequences does not exclude the presence of the others. A cut or bump on a child’s head after a fall does not mean that everything went well. If the patient experiences impaired consciousness, problems with coordination, or a fever, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor.

How does a baby get a bump?

When the head is bruised, the vessels located in the soft tissues burst. Blood collects in the thickness of the skin and a hematoma forms. It can be slightly soft or very dense, in different sizes and colors.

The frontal part of the head has the densest capillary network, so the largest and most voluminous cones are formed in this area. At the same time, they are considered the most harmless, because... The frontal bone is the strongest of the components of the skull. Such formations most often resolve on their own, without negative consequences for the body.

Concussion

It is observed after the child has hit his head hard, and the location of the injury does not matter. This is the simplest of all traumatic brain injuries. It is characterized by a short-term loss of consciousness immediately after the impact or some time after it.

Learn more about how to recognize the symptoms of a concussion in

The clinical picture is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. Due to the mobility of the skull bones and shock absorption, concussions in newborns are extremely rare. In this case, a sign of injury is the baby's restless crying and screaming. The baby may refuse food, burp often, and be capricious for no reason.

The brain does not suffer after the blow that led to the concussion. In it, the functioning of a number of cells is only temporarily disrupted, which leads to the listed consequences. After 2-3 days, the patient’s condition returns to normal, but with this injury, bed rest and rest for 7-10 days are still indicated.

What to do if your child hits his head

Head injuries in childhood are almost inevitable, so adults need to know how to react to them. There is no need to panic; you need to act quickly, clearly and in accordance with the specifics of the situation. If there is such a possibility, it is better to immediately call a doctor or an ambulance, which will eliminate the possibility of negative developments.

First aid in the absence of visible damage

First you need to establish what and what part of the skull the baby hit, and assess his general condition. The affected area begins to swell very quickly; cold should be applied to it. This could be a handkerchief soaked in cold water, a bottle of drink from the refrigerator, or frozen food wrapped in a cloth. Keep the compress for 5 minutes.

After a blow, children often begin to have real hysterics. In most cases, first aid for hitting their head comes down to calming the child. A loud cry is not an indicator of severe pain; most often it is the result of fear. The main thing for parents is to remain calm; this will allow them to quickly find out all the circumstances of the accident and begin providing assistance. After the baby has calmed down, you need to limit his activity for 1-2 days. If the baby falls asleep soon after the injury, he should be woken up every three hours and asked simple questions to exclude changes in consciousness due to serious injuries.

When to see a doctor after a child falls

If a child hits the back of the head or temple, this requires mandatory consultation with a professional. In the first case, there is a high probability of brain damage, in the second there is a danger of violating the integrity of the skull bones. There is no need to go to the hospital after every accident, but after a severe impact it is better to do so, even if there are no external signs of damage.

Indications for visiting a doctor or calling an ambulance:

• weakness, dizziness, drowsiness;
• the appearance on the surface of the impact is not a bump, but a dent;
• nausea and vomiting;
• prolonged crying, anxiety and severe agitation of the patient;
• pallor, blue lips, heavy breathing;
• enlarged pupils, their different sizes, squint;
• lethargy of the baby, problems with speech;
• bleeding from the nose or ears;
• large hematoma;
• numbness of the limbs;
• even short-term loss of consciousness;
• memory loss, double vision.

Which doctor you see for an injury depends on the type of injury. If this is a cut or a frighteningly large lump, you can visit a surgeon. The specialist will treat the affected area and check the patient for neurological disorders. When it is necessary to exclude the possibility of brain damage, it is better to immediately go to a neurologist.

Drug treatment

Head injuries that result in brain damage require specific therapy. It is strictly forbidden to give your child medications to relieve headaches after a blow. The drugs are selected by the doctor based on the diagnosis. Their action can be aimed at reducing swelling, relieving pain or inflammation, preventing neurological symptoms, and eliminating nausea and vomiting. Parents may only use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the wound before applying a bandage.

Medicines to get rid of lumps

To speed up the resorption of the lump, you can use traditional methods and pharmaceutical medicines. A good effect is achieved by treating the surface with a mixture of iodine and medical alcohol - the drugs are taken in equal quantities. You can also buy “Troxevasin”, “Rescuer” or “Troxerutin” gels and heparin ointment at the pharmacy.

Plants that help with bruises

If a child was injured while relaxing in nature or at the dacha, and there was no first aid kit at hand, you can use natural medicines. Juice obtained from fresh green onions will help with bruises. The liquid is applied directly to the sore spot or used to prepare a compress. Plantain leaves are applied to areas of scratches, abrasions or small cuts. Just first you need to mash them slightly so that they release the juice. Wormwood has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Fresh grass is crushed, mixed with water to form a paste and applied to the hematomas.

Head injuries are dangerous not only in the acute period. Their negative consequences can manifest themselves months and years after the impact. Even if your child does not have the symptoms listed above, it is worth visiting a doctor to make sure there are no risks to his health. At a minimum, you should observe the baby’s behavior for 2-3 days and evaluate the quality of his sleep. It is better to report any alarming moments to a specialist.

No matter whose strength bends you,
Neither pressed hard to the ground, -
You get up as if nothing happened
All adversities and I burn in spite.
Rozhdestvensky V. A.

Hyperactive childhood

Mom brought the baby to an appointment with a pediatric neurologist. While the mother and the doctor are talking and questions are being answered, the baby turns over from his back to his stomach. Only two days ago he mastered this serious movement for a baby - and now he rolls over until he drops and cannot stop. His mother lays on his back so that the doctor can look, he looks at his stomach, his mother looks at his back, and he goes back to his place. And so on throughout the reception. The neurologist observed and asked:
- Is he like this with you all the time?
- Yes.

Further - in the same spirit. The baby is growing up and mastering new movements. You can’t stop him, it flashes before your eyes: you’ve just been here, you’re already there. You can’t keep up with him on a walk: he doesn’t just run, he “rushes.” Well, it falls, of course, as if without this, at such and such speeds.

Grew up, but hasn't changed

When a baby who is just learning to walk falls, this is perceived as normal. It’s not scary when a preschooler or a junior schoolchild sometimes falls - it doesn’t happen to anyone, because they have such active games. But what to do when a big child, almost as tall as his mother, falls? And it falls constantly... This fact causes mixed feelings. Added to the concern for his health are frustration and bewilderment.

They say about such people: “Fell out of the blue.” He immediately jumped up and ran again. Usually he doesn’t complain or cry, he just rubs the bruised area. When you ask where another bruise or abrasion comes from, he begins to look at you in bewilderment: “I don’t know...” I didn’t even notice how I fell. Or “didn’t fit into the turn.” Or “sat down past the bench” again. Or “counted another angle”...

Why is he so careless? And when will this end? It's time to settle down, or something. Maybe send him to a chess club? At least he’ll stop jumping around there: he’ll sit quietly and think. Is this the right decision? System-vector psychology of Yuri Burlan answers this question clearly and convincingly.

According to System-Vector Psychology by Yuri Burlan, the psyche of each person has desires and properties given from birth, groups of which are called vectors. Our desires are usually definite: we want exactly this, and not something else. And if these are our innate desires, we have all the necessary properties to realize them.

Nimble, fast, agile, energetic – these are people with the skin vector. The life of such a child is filled with movement, he simply cannot stop. Such a skin fidget is simply not able to sit still calmly, he has a different nature.

In addition, people with the skin vector have special flexibility in everything. For example, such a person walks in a crowd of people, while deftly and masterfully maneuvering between other people's elbows and backs - he will not collide with anyone.

It is not by chance that nature created them this way: thanks to their innate activity and flexibility, they realize their desire to be the first, champions in everything - to achieve their goal faster, spending a minimum of effort.

Only a person with a skin vector is distinguished by the desire for success, for property and social superiority. It is skin people who make a brilliant career - they strive for it, and they achieve it.

Accompanying the achievement of success is the desire for leadership: a skinny person wants to get one of the first roles in the team. The owner of the skin vector can become the best organizer and manager. Potentially. How to realize this potential?

We are born to realize ourselves. It sounds nice, but how do you know in which area to show yourself? How to not try everything, but focus on a person’s inclinations? System-vector psychology of Yuri Burlan provides answers to these questions, as it reveals a clearly working mechanism for knowing oneself and other people. And knowing your naturally-given mental properties allows you to determine your mission, find what you love, and, ultimately, realize yourself in society and be happy.

If a child does not develop in the right direction, his innate properties still manifest themselves, but in a distorted way. Then the leather worker, who has every chance of becoming the most dexterous, who could potentially become an excellent dancer or achieve success in sports, becomes an awkward and slack person. He falls all the time and bumps into corners, collects jambs, injuring himself. And instead of moving forward at high speed towards the goal, it begins to fuss and flicker in vain.

Therefore, it is important to give the right direction for a child’s development in order to fully realize his potential. And not try to suppress his natural desires or replace them with others, more “correct” and meaningful in our opinion. It is impossible to change nature, but it is easy to injure a child and influence his life scenario in the most negative way.

Gymnast or chess player?

So, what activities can you choose for your skin baby to develop its properties? From the above, it becomes clear that such a child will not sit at the chessboard, calculating moves in the game for a long time. But he can become wonderful.

How to choose a suitable section or circle for a skinned child? The criterion that the choice is correct will be the child’s general condition - a good mood, a happy appearance and obvious success in his hobby. Give your child the choice of a circle within the framework of the properties of his psyche.

In addition, it is worth making sure that the child can prove himself as a leader in a group of peers. This is very important for a child with a skin vector and motivates him even more. This can be achieved in different ways.

Encourage your child to actively participate in various activities in which he can show his best side. First of all, these are various sports games, competitions, as well as dance competitions. Since the spirit of competition lives in every child, participation in sports Olympiads and competitions is to his liking and only further develops his talents. Organizer skills can be demonstrated in presentations of various projects, preparation of children's parties and other events.

Since status is very important for a child with a cutaneous vector, this must be taken care of. Don’t forget to appreciate your child’s achievements with useful prizes, because material support for his successful activities is also very important for a little leather worker. It is people with skin who like to repeat: “You can’t put thanks in your pocket.”

In addition, changes are important for a child with a skin vector; he loves everything new and advanced. Therefore, if such a child has the most modern tablet or smartphone, the newest program or game, this will fill his naturally-given desire for change, and will also allow him to arouse the interest of his peers.

However, you need to be careful with this. After all, a child with a skin vector is potentially an inventor. And in the case of using the fruits of someone else's labor, the child is still only a passive consumer and user. Giving a child with a skin vector the opportunity to come into contact with modern technologies, we must encourage him to see the essence of these processes taking place in the world today and changing this world. He himself needs to be taught to think logically, invent, construct. For example, buy a complex construction set or take you to an interactive museum of new technologies.

After all, such a child, when he grows up, can become one of the participants in the process of change, inventing something completely new or improving something that already exists. In this case, he no longer just satisfies his needs for novelty, but benefits all people, changing life for the better.

There is a choice

By giving a child the correct development in childhood, we provide the foundation for its implementation in adulthood. And in this case, as in the epigraph to this article, after any fall he will always be able to rise and continue moving forward. And Vanka-Vstanka in this case becomes a symbol of perseverance and the will to win, and not fussiness and absurdity.

You can learn how best to develop a child with a skin vector, as well as a lot of other interesting and important information about the mental properties of yourself and your loved ones at the first free online lectures on system-vector psychology by Yuri Burlan. You can sign up via the link: http://www.yburlan.ru/training/.

The article was written using training materials on system-vector psychology by Yuri Burlan

The earlier a problem in the development of a child’s motor skills is identified, the greater his chances for a healthy life. In order not to waste precious time, parents need to know what symptoms of trouble to pay attention to.

Most children acquire motor skills in a predictable sequence and at a certain age. First, they learn to hold and raise their heads, then to roll over and sit down. Next - stand up, walk, crawl, jump on two and one leg. A healthy child has the right to violate this sequence, to advance ahead of the expected time frame or to be late. The reason may be individual characteristics, heredity (like mom or dad at one time), or the parents’ erroneous desire to educate the baby. But there are 10 symptoms, the appearance of which may signal a serious disorder of motor development and even a disease. Be sure to tell your pediatrician about them!

1. Regression or loss of already acquired skills

Your baby's muscle strength and motor dexterity should only improve every day. If the observed regression of skills cannot be associated with a recent illness (even with a banal “cold”), this is a very serious reason for alarm and immediate seeking of professional help.

What is considered a regression?

A sudden categorical refusal on your own and a demand to return a long-forgotten document, the return of a scribble-scribble to an album with is a sign of dissatisfaction and anxiety that has settled in the soul of a child. Often, with this behavior, the toddler demonstrates the need for attention from adults or resists too persistent attempts to make him the leader of child prodigies. Don't worry: this is not regression. But if a child, already trying to run, suddenly cannot stand on his feet or take several steps without falling, this is not normal. Such a breakdown of motor skills can be a sign of a serious neurological or mental disorder: epilepsy, encephalitis, brain tumor, a huge variety of metabolic breakdowns, manifested by progressive storage diseases. The first immediate step will be a comprehensive specialized medical examination.

2. Baby's leg(s) or arm(s) feel too stiff

What parents may notice:

• the baby constantly, even in his sleep, keeps his fists tightly clenched;
• the child cannot unclench his fingers to release the toy;
• it is difficult for the baby to change the position of his body - as if someone is holding him;
• individual muscles on the arm or leg are constantly hard;
• lying on his tummy, the baby bends with effort and raises his head, as if trying to reach his heels with the top of his head, while he does not even need support from his arms (they can be extended along the body);
• the hair on the back of the head (or closer to the temple on one side) is rolled out, the skin here shines from constant friction against the pillow;
• the legs are crossed like scissors (the higher the level of crossover towards the butt, the worse the prognosis).

All of the above is a sign of high tone (hypertonicity) of a certain muscle group. The child cannot relax them either by force of will or in sleep. The main thing that needs to be excluded is the spastic form. In this disease, the brain sends abnormal signals to the muscles, causing them to tighten. Prolonged hypertonicity leads to the rapid development of contractures, depriving the ability to perform precise actions, or even move at all. With severe cerebral palsy, children require constant care, a walker or a wheelchair. But in half the disease occurs in a mild form that responds well to treatment. Neurological symptoms are often combined with impairments in intelligence, speech articulation, hearing or vision. Then the prognosis directly depends on how early rehabilitation measures are started.

Do not think that cerebral palsy is a rare diagnosis. The prevalence of all its forms in different countries ranges from 2 to 7 per 1000 live births, especially often in those born prematurely. Even if cerebral palsy is not confirmed during the examination of the baby, doctors will determine another cause of muscle hypertonicity and help the baby recover as quickly as possible.

3. Baby's muscles are too soft

The reason is low tone, muscle weakness.

What parents may notice:

• when an adult moves a child's arm or leg, he does not feel any resistance;
• when a child is taken under the arms and lifted, his shoulders go up, and his head and neck “sag” between the palms of an adult;
• in the parent’s arms, the baby taken under the armpits does not group, but hangs “like a rag,” visually lengthening in height;
• when pulling rompers or socks onto stacks, the baby does not rest his foot on the adult’s palm, but immediately passively bends it;
• in the supine position, the thighs are spread apart, literally “spreading” across the diaper, without attempting to bring them together;
• the impression that the child could be tied in a knot (gutta-percha).

Low muscle tone makes it difficult for the baby to hold his head up, sit up, and walk in time. In the future, such children will not be able to pedal a bicycle, skate or ski, or actively participate in outdoor games of their peers. They often have problems with body balance and coordination of movements. Muscular hypotonia limits their physical abilities and affects their choice of profession.

Low tone is a symptom of rickets, Down's disease, muscular dystrophy, and metabolic disorders. Often the reason remains unclear. There is even a term " benign congenital hypotension“When there are no serious disturbances in motor development, the problem resolves itself over time. Unless such children become great athletes or mountain climbers.

Regardless of the cause of low muscle tone, the doctor’s main advice is to get your baby moving. He needs a properly selected set of exercises to build strength and endurance and master new motor skills.

4. The child is not walking yet

If your little one's peers are already confidently stomping, but he is still crawling, this does not mean at all that the baby is delayed in development. Doesn't walk until 1.5 years old - unusual, but normal. True, it is important, together with the pediatrician, to establish the cause. The most common of them:

1. I would have gone, but I got scared and hit myself painfully. Plus by nature he is timid and indecisive.
2. Stays in jumpers or walkers for a long time. These exercise machines do not develop the muscle groups necessary for walking and do not allow you to quickly learn how to control your body and maintain stable balance in an upright position.
3. Muscle hypotonia (see above).
4. Muscle hypertonicity (even higher).
5. The baby explores the world from a backpack or car seat. Why should he try to reach or reach the object of interest? - They will tell you, just “steer” with a pointing gesture in the right direction.
6. Prolonged stay in a brace or cast due to a broken leg or hip.
7. Mental retardation.

5. The child walks on tiptoes

Most babies walk on their toes occasionally while they are still learning to step while holding onto furniture. Some children continue to stand on their tiptoes when walking occasionally, just for fun. This is especially popular with little ones who imagine themselves as flying princesses. This is acceptable for toddlers under 2 years old. If the child is older, parents should be sure that this is just a habit and not a pathology.

Medical help is necessary if the baby:

• moves on tiptoes most of the time;
• has rigidity (hypertonicity) of the neck muscles;
• often stumbles, falls “out of the blue”;
• walks waddling like a duck (a sign of hip dysplasia);
• awkward, with poorly developed fine motor skills (for example, cannot fasten a button or get a lace into a hole);
• gets tired quickly, cannot support the weight of his body on his feet (muscle weakness);
• loses the skill of normal walking on a full foot, if he already had it.

What else makes children tiptoe?

Short Achilles tendon makes it difficult to stand on your full foot and limits your range of motion at the ankle level. Tendon stretching will be required using thermal physiotherapy, physical therapy, baths, and massage. It may be necessary to select and wear a special plastic orthosis for a long time. In the most severe cases, surgical correction is performed.

With spastic form of cerebral palsy The Achilles tendon is so dense and rigid that the heel is pulled up, the foot is extended, and the toes are straightened, as if continuing the lower leg.

Walking and jumping on tiptoes are characteristic of early childhood. It is important to make sure that the baby does not have problems with behavior, mastering speech and communication skills. It is better if a child psychologist and defectologist does this.

6. Baby “prefers” one hand or part of the body

Babies use both hands equally. In the second year of life, you can notice how one (usually the right) gradually begins to predominate. This is normal: a person almost always has a dominant arm, leg, or eye, and not necessarily on one side. But if parents notice that the baby has a clear preference for one limb and practically does not use the other, they must tell the doctor about this. You can confirm your suspicion during the game by observing whether the baby can kick the ball alternately with both feet or deftly grab the offered toy with his hands.

The most likely reason for a child’s clear preference for one arm or leg in combination with a reluctance or inability to use the other is hemiplegic variant of cerebral palsy. In a mild form, it may not manifest itself in the first year of life, until the dominance of one half of the body becomes noticeable in the baby. Looking back, adults will probably remember that the baby’s muscles seemed too soft to the touch and pliable during passive movements. Or the baby often coughed while eating, took a long time to learn to chew and swallow thick food, slept with one eyelid slightly open, and unusually “twisted his mouth” when crying. The reason is a slight decrease in the tone of the muscles of half the body and face due to impaired innervation. In the future, the child will likely need speech therapy help to develop flaccid speech muscles. And definitely - a reflexologist, a pediatric neurologist, active physiotherapy, physical therapy.

7. Clumsy child

It is not unusual for children in the first two years of life to often fall or crash into anything that gets in their way, collecting bruises and bumps. Children who are still motorically awkward learn to control their bodies and coordinate movements. This is especially true for choleric people—tireless “adventurers.” Parents have to be on guard to protect them from accidents. But a child's failures can be a sign of a serious problem.

When to ask for help

1. The child constantly bumps into walls, furniture, and regularly “misses” when trying to sit on a chair or take a toy from the table. This may signal vision problems: myopia, limited visual fields, difficulty perceiving the exact distance to an object.

2. The combination of motor clumsiness with muscle weakness or stiffness can occur in different forms cerebral palsy.

3. A gradual deterioration in coordination of movements against the background of previously noted successes is a sign degenerative or progressive neuromuscular disease. For example, muscular dystrophy, juvenile arthritis, brain or spinal cord tumors, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, cerebellar ataxia.

4. If the main cause of clumsiness is attention deficit disorder and...

5. If a child’s gait suddenly becomes unsteady despite being in full health, and movements lose precision - it is necessary to exclude a concussion. To do this, parents first need to analyze:

• have there been any falls from great heights or strong blows to the head (on the head) over the past 6-8 hours;
• check for new bruises or bumps;
• did the baby complain of nausea or vomit;
• Are there any unusual features in the behavior - drowsiness, whims, lethargy, excessive excitement.

Even if adults honestly answer “no” to all questions, it is better to show the little one to the doctor. And don’t delay it!

8. The baby is in constant motion

Surely any adult has at least once admired the restlessness of his little one. Tireless energizers are ready to perform feats and discoveries around the clock. Children need to be in constant motion; they get tired of having to “sit quietly.”

What is not the norm and requires parental attention:

1. Involuntary movements that the child cannot control by force of will. It can be:

• tics (blinking or winking, coughing, sniffing, vocal);
• convulsions;
• tremor (small or large-scale trembling of the chin, hand, stack, leg bent at the knee);
• hyperkinesis - violent movements of a certain muscle group (for example, a sudden throwing of the arm forward, as if the baby is trying to grab something).

2. Excessive, inexplicable fussiness, often combined with talkativeness.

Chin tremor is a common occurrence in the newborn period. A neonatologist observing the baby in the maternity hospital will definitely clarify the reason. This is often a sign of immaturity of the nervous system. Then the baby only needs time and careful care.

Tics that reinforce habitual movements (for example, coughing or sniffling when you have a cold) are controllable and go away over time. Preschoolers and primary schoolchildren can react this way to a difficult psychological situation in the family and at school. Such violent movements, like stuttering, occur due to severe or stress. A psychologist is needed here.

All hyperkinesis, long-lasting tremors, inexplicable tics and, especially, convulsions are a sign of organic damage to the nervous system, a brain tumor, or a severe metabolic disorder. It is better not to delay the medical examination.

According to the American Association of Pediatricians, a child under 4 years of age has the right to be very active. But as he grows up, he should develop the ability to control his actions and manage them. That is, listen carefully to the interlocutor, wait patiently for the turn, concentrate on performing any action, without writhing with your whole body. No one demands the impossible from the baby: just for a few minutes. If parents have the impression that their 4-year-old child can be calmed only by tying him tightly, this may signal attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Without the help of a medical psychologist and a special education system (behavioral therapy), it is very difficult for such children to ensure a safe life and help them master the basic school curriculum.

9. The child has too much difficulty grasping and manipulating objects.

We are talking about fine motor skills, about mastering and consolidating precise movements of the fingers as they grow older. Any action with the hand requires the coordinated participation of many muscle groups, the vestibular apparatus, the ability to see an object and correlate the distance to it. And necessarily - control from the brain. Therefore, a one-year-old baby constantly “missing” a spoon with porridge causes emotion in his parents, and a two-year-old baby causes reasonable concern.

When there is cause for concern

There is only one rule: parents fail to instill a certain movement in their child for several (at least three) months. At the same time, it is time for the child, not at the whim of adults, but due to age, to learn this skill and understand its essence.

For example, a one and a half year old baby does not know how to brush his teeth, but will pull the head of the brush into his mouth (and not into his eye) and demand that toothpaste be applied to it. Having played enough, he can then clean the floor, but first the baby must perform an action for the intended purpose of the object (that is, he remembers, understands). Or a one-year-old toddler will clearly (not miss) take a cookie from the plate with his fingers and, holding it tightly in his fist, will gnaw with pleasure. The treat will be thrown not because of muscle weakness, but because he is full or distracted.

Developed fine motor skills are the key to good learning and a successful future. Severe delay is often combined with intellectual disability. There is no need to hope that the problem with grasping, holding and manipulating objects will “resolve” on its own. This may be the first warning sign of a neurological or intellectual problem in the child. In addition, it has long been proven that the speech and motor centers in the brain are very close and strongly influence each other. That is, we can predict with a high probability that a child with weak and inept fingers will need a speech therapist.

Sometimes, to help the baby, it is enough to have competent, regular and persistent activities that encourage the progress of fine motor skills. And the vision problem needs to be corrected - the sooner, the better.

10. Your child is drooling, choking, or has difficulty swallowing food.

What is considered normal:

• profuse salivation in an infant during the period;
• choking at the initial stage;
• pushing out food with a new taste or consistency with the tongue;
• coughing or refusal to eat during ARVI: pharyngitis, severe shortness of breath;
• increased gag reflex when pressing on the root of the tongue in excitable children.

When to take your child to the doctor:

• excessive salivation due to a cold due to the inability to swallow (this can be acute tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, diphtheria, epicondylitis, croup);
• sudden refusal to eat and drink combined with high fever ();
• coughing attacks during sleep and while lying down ();
• constant choking during and after eating for no apparent reason. This is a symptom of many neurological diseases, organic damage to the central or peripheral nervous system.

Depending on the identified cause of the problem, the child will be treated by a pediatrician, neurologist, surgeon, reflexologist, speech therapist, and physiotherapist. In acute illness, emergency care may be needed to save life. In other cases, long-term therapy for the disorder will be required.

: Reading time:

A psychologist talks about childhood trauma - why a child often falls and gets injured.

Parents explain the child’s frequent injuries by his frivolity, carelessness, or even “damage” or “evil eye.” I do not take medical problems in which high traumatism is associated with illness, musculoskeletal disorders, bone fragility, but consider cases where a child with average or good health regularly receives injuries:

• cuts
• dislocations
• fractures and cracks
• bruises
• concussion
• severe injuries

One day in the park I watched a teenager on a bicycle. He skated himself and carefully taught his younger friend. During the next trick, he accelerated strongly, flew over the steps, but landed unsuccessfully - with all his weight on one leg.

I approached and asked how he was feeling, to which the teenager nonchalantly reported that his leg had cracked when he landed. I looked and my ankle was rapidly swelling. The boy told me not to worry, this was not the first time he had broken his leg on a bicycle, and he hobbled to the bench on his own.

Then his mother’s cry was heard in the distance. He called her and told her about the injury over the phone, so as not to meet her halfway and wait on the bench. A few moments later I saw a woman, she waved from afar to her son to follow her, and quickly disappeared.

The boy got up, took the bike and jumped after him, trying to catch up with his mother.

The boy told me not to worry, this was not the first time he had broken his leg on a bicycle, and he hobbled to the bench on his own.

Of course, there is no great harm in the injury itself. It is the indifferent reaction of the boy and mother that causes concern. This could open the door to extreme or overly heroic behavior in the future.

So why does a child fall often? Let's take a closer look at the reasons behind this.

Features of physiological and neuropsychological development

In preschool and primary school age, frequent injuries often occur for physiological and neuropsychological reasons. It can be:

• clumsiness, clumsiness
• poor coordination - lack of coordination of movements, unnatural gait
• insufficient sensitivity to pain (can roll head over heels down the stairs and say that everything is fine), temperature changes (does not feel cold, although his hands are already blue)
• difficulties in visually assessing height, depth, distance (watch how a child catches and throws a ball)
• lack of attention
• motor disinhibition
• inability to predict the consequences of one's actions
• the desire to get what you want prevails over reason and a sense of self-preservation

Behind these signs are features of physical development and brain development - connections between neurons are formed chaotically or insufficiently. Classes to develop sensory integration, cerebellar stimulation, and neurocorrection will help. They may have different names, but they do similar things - they establish connections between different parts of the brain. In each case, the neuropsychologist conducts complex diagnostics and, based on its results, selects corrective exercises and games.

In addition to working with a neuropsychologist, you can work with your child independently or in tandem with a neurologist and educational psychologist. Sports activities are shown. This could be exercise therapy (physical therapy), running, swimming, some types of martial arts, dancing or juggling. These exercises develop and correct neural connections.

The child needs support and patience from an adult, because his skill will take longer to develop than other children.

Bodily memory of trauma

The body remembers experiences, including traumatic ones. If you twist your leg once, in similar situations it can happen again and again.

Trauma memory occurs at a conscious age - from 10-11 years - and is associated with the development of voluntary behavior and reflection. What to do if a child often falls and gets injured in the same situation - while riding a bike, playing or playing sports, or maybe just while walking?

It is based on psychological and functional factors: self-doubt and incorrect movement. The wrong movement that led to injury is easily reinforced because it is emotionally intense. Expectation of a repeated mistake, uncertainty, tension lead to this very mistake.

In the story with the teenager on the bike, there is a high probability of this exact incident - this is not the first time he has broken his leg when trying to do a trick.

A habitual injury can occur without tricks (the child constantly twists his leg when walking). The problem disappears as self-confidence increases. Acquiring independence and personal support, success in life changes the gait, making it more elastic and strong.

Muscles that are constantly injured can be strengthened with exercise. You can do this on your own, but it’s better to take a few lessons with a trainer who will correct mistakes step by step and tell you how to move correctly. This is especially true for sports and near-sports activities: parkour, ice skating, bicycle stunts.

The psychologist will help you cope with fear and uncertainty, with the “vague feeling” of injury, and will help you complete the “gestalt”: complete the action that you wanted to perform at the time of the first experience of injury.

Secondary benefit

Here, as with some illnesses in childhood, we are looking for what the benefit is: freeing ourselves from school and reducing the level of stress, skipping the next test, getting the attention of family and friends, feeling like a “hero,” reconciling mom and dad.

A calm attitude towards injury, moderate attention, maintaining responsibilities and workload levels will help stop the vicious circle. A calm attitude does not mean indifference to the event. You just need to encourage this behavior in your child less with phrases like “you are a hero.” Irritation and criticism in some cases also act as encouragement.

Please note that the load may indeed be high. If a child complains about the number of classes and walks around with a dull look, reduce the load - for him this is clearly too much. Frequent injuries in an athlete who is actively preparing for competitions signal overwork and exhaustion - the coach gives him a break.

Intense negative feelings: rage, anger, irritability

Also, the most common causes of injuries in children are rage, anger and irritability. “In anger, hit the table with his fist,” “kicked the wall in irritation,” “broke glass in rage” - these situations indicate the inability or impossibility of expressing strong negative feelings to others way. Sometimes only bodily pain or destruction can stop an attack of impotent rage.

In this case, do not forbid the child to be angry or angry, forget the phrases: “come on, stop the hysteria”, “just try to slam the door again” - this will only increase the destructive power of emotions. Do not use sarcasm and ridicule: “come on, break everything here,” “show what a strong man you are.”

Often, recognizing the right to a feeling or emotion is enough to reduce its strength and intensity. After the child opens up, help solve the problem: analyze the situation, how you can respond to the offender; acknowledge your responsibility in the conflict if the anger is about you.

When the emotional state is visible, the problem is obvious and understandable. In this case, we say that a person needs to learn to control emotions.

Anger does not always lie on the surface. When a child considers anger unacceptable, he controls and restrains it. However, this is too strong and necessary an emotion to be suppressed so easily. Suppressed anger is more likely to lead to self-aggression and injury than externally expressed anger. Help your child become aware of feelings and express them: “I see that you are trying to hide your anger,” “It seems to me that you consider anger to be too bad a feeling to show.”

Self-punishment and guilt

Children feel guilty for misdeeds that go unpunished. If a child often falls and hits his head, this sometimes acts as self-punishment. This doesn't happen on purpose. Rather, the child (or even an adult) worries so much that he becomes inattentive, plus the feeling of shame makes the body clumsy and awkward.

The guilt may be obvious - the child started the fire. Such events leave a deep imprint on the soul, and punishment helps to cope with guilt. Sometimes you need to talk to the child about why there is no punishment (what happened may only look significant in the eyes of the child).

Sometimes a child has a secret (for example, he lied and considers lying unacceptable). If the baby is too categorical and sharply brushes you off in every conversation - “I told you that everything is fine, leave me alone!” - let a person talk to him whom he is not afraid of, whom he trusts, or a psychologist.

In the third case, the reasons for guilt are not clear to the child himself. He is not aware of it - he feels guilty that he is “not good enough.” Perhaps the child is often shamed or criticized. High standards of behavior in the family, set by the situation itself (everyone in the family is a “professor”, but he is not good at mathematics) or by attitudes (the only possible grade is “5”, a good person does not behave like a pig), develop a sense of inadequacy in the child.

Parent messages

The most common causes of injury in children are caused by the harmful influence of parental messages:

• “Taking care of yourself is not becoming a man”
• "Real men don't feel pain"
• “The pain must be endured”
• “You’re already too old to be bothered by sores”

These messages are implemented through the following actions: the parent ignores the child’s injuries, abrasions, bruises (“it will heal before the wedding,” “they all hurt themselves all the time at this age”), reproaches them for tears, scoffs at the child’s request to examine and treat the wound - it may be insignificant , but the child doesn’t understand this.

The story with the boy on the bike most likely contains such messages. The mother acts with the best intentions - to make the child stronger, stronger, more independent, to let him feel the consequences of his actions, but as a result, he does not learn to take care of himself and is negligent in his health and life.

It is better to change the attitude to a positive and less harsh one: “I know that you are able to take care of yourself.” In childhood, reinforce with actions: blow on a bruise, treat even a minor wound. A child learns to treat himself by observing the parent’s attitude towards him. After some time, he will learn to take care of himself (and others!).

At an older age, pay attention to a complex wound or injury and help, if necessary, limit the movement of the injured part of the body.

The most destructive parental message is “Don’t live.” It is formed as a result of extreme, difficult to bear circumstances in the life of a parent or against the background of postpartum depression and can be expressed in the following words:

• “Because of you, I didn’t finish my studies (I lost my health, I lost my husband)”
• “I will love you more when you are gone (if you do something heroic)”

A child in such a system is filled with feelings of guilt, anger, rejection, resentment, and strives to fill the void and become worthy of his mother’s love, often through extreme behavior.

What to do if a child often falls: rules for parents to prevent injuries

There may be more than one reason behind traumatic behavior. But to prevent such accidents, you need to follow several rules.

1. Play sports with your child, develop his dexterity and muscular system, and overcome physical disabilities (flat feet, scoliosis).
2. Do not ignore persistent typical injuries. They are based on incorrect movement, which can be corrected by working with a trainer.
3. Be attentive to changes in the child’s behavior and emotional state, help him speak out.
4. Avoid focusing on trauma to avoid reinforcing traumatic behavior.
5. Show your child an example of a careful and attentive attitude towards yourself: do not ignore pain, do not show miracles of patience and heroism, treat wounds, consult a doctor. The same goes for the child. Taking care of the body is also a manifestation of love.
6. Talk to your child about the importance of taking care of yourself and your body. There is one body for life, there will never be another.
7. Teach your child self-help techniques in extreme situations. How to behave if you have a broken leg, severely cut yourself, or been bitten by a dog.